The Cowboy and the Debutante
by SunBlayz
Summary: A new boy shows up at the Newsies Lodge, but he's more than what he seems. When Jack and Sarah call it quits he finally gets everything he wants in Santa Fe but could something be missing? Sorry no good at summaries. Please RR
1. My Name is Andy

Jack Kelly sat on the steps of the Newsboys lodge; he hung his head and let his dark hair fall in his eyes for a moment. He was in a bind, Sarah had told him she was going away to an all girls' college in Vermont and had said that they should probably not be tied to each other while she was gone. He knew it was because of the man who had helped her get into that college; he was some prep school guy, all white collar. Jack had never been so mad in his life, his chest hurt. At least now he had a reason to go to Santa Fe.

"Excuse me," said a voice as a pair of shoes came into his view.

"Yeah?" he asked looking up at a boy with a grubby face and clothes and dirty brown hair hanging in chunks around his face.

"Is this the place where you can live if you're a newsie?" he asked.

"Yeah this is the newsboys lodge," said Jack.

"Good," he said pulling his cap down a little farther.

"They're about to turn the lights out so you better hurry up if you want a room," said Jack. "Talk to Jerry say that Jack sent you and he'll give you a good rate."

"Thanks," said the boy looking grateful. "I'm Andr… Andy," he said with a smile as he rushed into the lodge.

"How many do you want?" asked Weasel impatiently.

"Um… twenty papers," said Andy.

"Twenty for the big spender," said Weasel and the man handed him the papers.

"Why only twenty?" asked the boy who he had met the night before, Jack. "Seemed pretty eager to be a newsie last night."

"I just… I don't think I could sell more than that," said Andy sheepishly.

"Well you look pretty small for a boy how old are ya?" asked Jack.

"I'm close to seventeen," he replied defensively.

"You can come with me today on one condition you tell everyone that you're sick and that's why you're so small," said Jack flashing a smile at him, the boy blushed and nodded his head.

"Split the profits?" asked Andy.

"How about forty sixty?" asked Jack.

"Sounds fair enough," said Andy.

"Ya know you talk real good for a newsie," said Jack as they walked through the gates and out onto the street.

"I grew up in a good family," said Andy self consciously.

"Well, let's get to it," said Jack with a shrug. "Extry, extry! Read all about!"

"Extra, extra!" shouted Andy and Jack raised an eyebrow at him.

The day drug on and Andy was down to three papers, papes as Jack called them. Jack kept handing him more every time he ran out but now Jack was down to his last three as well. The sick line seemed to work well everyone was buying it. Jack was flipping through one of the papers and looking at Andy.

"Extry! Extry!" he shouted suddenly. "Heiress missing, terrified parents have police searching day and night!"

"Extra! Extra!" shouted Andy as weakly as he could. "Oil spill in time square!"

"Where's it say that?" asked Jack suddenly as he handed his paper to a man and accepted the coins.

"Page five, someone knocked over a can of grease on the curb," he smiled at Jack.

"Nicely done," said Jack approvingly.

After they had both sold the last of their papers they wandered back towards the lodge slowly. They stopped to pick up hot dogs at a vender who was about to close up. Andy munched on his slowly seemingly amazed at how good it was while Jack tried not to laugh.

"Ain't you ever eaten a hot dog?" asked Jack.

"Not like this!" cried Andy happily. They kept walking along on their way and suddenly Andy ripped something down and crumpled it. Jack raised an eyebrow slowly but shook his head and laughed a little.

"You're sorta weird huh?" asked Jack.

"I guess so," said Andy shoving the rest of the hot dog into his mouth happily as they came upon the lodge. "We selling together again tomorrow?" he asked as they entered.

"Yeah I guess so, we made a pretty good team today," he smiled at him again and the other boy blushed.

"Hey Jack!" shouted Racetrack from a table where he and some other boys were playing cards. "We're playing poker want me to deal you in?"

"I don't think so," said Jack. "Tonight I gotta get somewhere," he turned and headed out of the lodge. "See you tomorrow Andy, maybe we'll get a good newsie name for ya." He headed out of the lodge then.

"You wanna play Andy?" asked Racetrack. "Any friend of Jack's is a friend of ours."

"I don't really have much to lose but the clothes on my back," said Andy with a laugh.

"You got a pretty good shirt I'd bet you some cash for it," said Mush.

"Oh no," said Andy blushing and clutching the top of his shirt. "These are the only clothes I have I can't lose them."

"You talk good for a newsie," said Skittery. "Gonna have to work on that."

Andy had waited until everyone was asleep; he had been lying in his bunk for hours waiting to hear the rhythmic breathing of all the boys. He slowly slid out of his bunk and slunk across the floor to the bathroom, he hadn't had a shower in days. He pulled the curtain for the shower section slowly and quietly and then walked to one of the mirrors. Slowly he pulled off his cap and suddenly he turned into a she.

Andrea stared at herself and turned on the tap slowly she washed the dirt off of her face and then began stripping off the layers of clothing she had to wear to keep her breasts hidden. Suddenly the curtain was pulled back and she was staring at a very sullen looking Jack Kelly who was staring at the wall looking as if he were going to cry.

"Close the curtain," she said rushing to grab her hat to try and hide herself before he noticed.

"Sorry Andy," said Jack pulling the curtain closed again before he noticed that the other boy was not a boy but a girl. "I knew it!" he half shouted.

"Shhh!" cried Andrea rushing to him and clamping her hand over his mouth. "You'll wake everyone up," she whispered urgently.

"You're the heiress," whispered Jack back after she had moved her hand. "Oh man if I turned you in I'd have enough to go to Santa Fe and get away from here finally."

"I can get you enough money if you agree not to turn me in," said Andrea.

"Why did you run away?" asked Jack suddenly curious. "Your families rich, you can have anything you want."

"Not everything," said Andy sitting down on the floor. "Not freedom and it's not like anyone actually liked me for me, everyone only liked me because my father is the richest man in all of New York." Jack sat down next to her.

"You know if any of the other boys figure out who you are they're gonna turn ya in," said Jack.

"You're not?" she asked looking at him, he flashed her one of his smiled and she blushed.

"I know what it's like to have people trying to make you go somewhere you don't wanna and be somethin' you ain't," he said. "Your secret is safe wit me."

"Thank you," she said smiling. "Can you leave now so I can bathe?" she asked standing back up.

"A course ma'm," said Jack with a bow and Andrea frowned at him. "I'll see you in the morning just 'cause you're a girl don't mean we're ain't still parteners."

"Yeah," said Andrea.

"Yeah?" said Jack raising his eyebrows and mocking her.

"Get outta here before I slug ya," said Andrea doing her best imitation of a newsie. Jack shook with laughter as he left the bathroom.


	2. AndyAndrea

"Look it's you," said Jack holding up a picture of the heiress Andrea Pembrook that was hanging outside of the newsies lodge.

"Jack!" cried Andrea now Andy again with her hair tucked up and her face sufficiently smudged to make her look less like a girl.

"I'm jus' kiddin'," said Jack laughing as he got an elbow to the stomach. "Ya know for a richy ya pretty tough."

"I try," said Andy fluttering her eyelashes at him as they walked to collect their papers.

"Hundred and fifty papes Weasel," said Jack slapping enough money on the counter. He handed fifty of the papers to Andy and they started parusing them to find out the stories to sell.

"Missing heiress still?" said Mush sitting down next to Jack and Andy.

"You'd think they would've found some helpless princess by now," said Racetrack sitting down on the other side.

"Yeah, wull maybe someone kidnapped her," said Jack. "Some psyco or somethin'."

"That'd make for better headlines for us and better sellin'," said David crouching behind them all. "Jack Sarah said you were over last night. Did she talk to you?"

"Yeah we talked," said Jack dismissively as he stood up, Andy followed suit and followed him out of the area shouting her own extra, extras along with the other boys.

"Jack, Sarah's leaving today, she wanted to know if you were gonna be at the train station," said David rushing after him with his own stake of papers.

"Doubt that much," said Jack. "Extry! Extry! Heiress still missing authorities believe foul play!"

"It's just she'd really like it if you were there," said David still pursuing them.

"I said no Dave!" shouted Jack turning. "She's the one who decided we needed to start seeing other people alright! We're done," he turned with that and headed off with Andy on his heels.

"Who's Sarah?" she asked when they were out of earshot of David.

"Some dame I used to see," said Jack. "Nobody special."

"Seems special," said Andy. "For you to be so mad at one of your friends and disappear for most of the night to visit her."

"Yeah, wull, she's movin' to Vermont to go to some girl school and decided that there are better guys there," said Jack angrily. "Extry! Extry! Heiress still missing reward money doubled!" Jack handed a paper to a man and accepted the change.

"Chapleton Acadamy for Women," said Andy, Jack stared at her for a moment. "Girls go there to find a husband, or enter law school. My parents were going to send me there because I just can't seem to find a good man."

"I knew it!" cried Jack slamming his fists into a nearby wall. "I knew she wasn't going to find a good job, she just wants to go find some guy, or that stupid… Somethin' Jackson."

"Riley," said Andy wincing a little. "He was supposed to court me, but we couldn't stand each other, I'd heard he found some other girl."

"Ahh!" cried Jack beating his fists against the wall.

"Don't worry," said Andy, "I can fix this," she patted Jack on the back and handed him her papers.

He didn't notice for a while in his rage that she had actually disappeared. She didn't show up later that night or the next day either. But on the third day of her disappearance a very nice coach pulled up in front of the newsboys lodge and a man got out and asked if he could borrow a "Master Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly", all the other boys cheered as Jack got into the nice coach. Jack couldn't think what he done to deserve such nice service but sometimes people just did nice things for each other.

They pulled up in front of one of the largest buildings Jack had ever seen and the man who had requested him at the newsies lodge now escorted him to an elevator and told him to tell the man inside that he was going to top floor. When the elevator opened the man beside him seemed to disappear and Jack told the operator that he was supposed to go to the top floor. Jack had never been in an elevator before and it made his stomach turn as it stopped and he stepped out onto the top floor. In front of him was a large window with a woman standing in front of it.

"Uh, miss?" asked Jack, "If'n you don't mind my askin' why was I brought here?" The girl turned around and looked at him with sad eyes, she looked fermiliar. Her hair was pulled into an intricate set of braids that were wrapped around eachother and then around her head. She wore a deep blue dress that had a large bow in the back.

"I told you I would fix it," said the girl with a smile at him.

"Andy!" cried Jack. "Holy cow you fix up nice!"

"You will address my daughter as Miss Andrea," said a gruff voice as a tall man entered the room. "She tells me you're the one that helped her find her way back here after she wondered off from the carriage but that you were too modest to accept the reward."

"Uhh…" Jack stumbled and Andrea nodded to him from behind her father. "Yeah, it just didn't seem right, all I did was help someone."

"Well I've brought you here so that you won't be able to refuse the money," said the man. "You have my undying gratitude for returning my only child to me." He motioned to someone at the door and three men came in wheeling carts with large suitcases on them, all the suitcases were open to reveal the money inside them. "What's your name son?" asked Andrea's father.

"Jack Kelly," he said staring in awe at the money.

"Well Mr. Kelly, this should me enough to get you to Santa Fe," said the older man. "And to buy yourself some land."

"Yeah," said Jack staring in awe.

"Daddy," said Andrea. "Could I have a moment alone with Jack?"

"Of course my darling, I'll be right outside when Mr. Kelly is ready to have his money transported somewhere." He left the room.

"You'll be able to buy some space," said Andrea. "Maybe win back Sarah?"

"Why did you do this?" asked Jack looking at her. "I thought you wanted your freedom."

"Well… You kept my secret so I figured it's only fair help you out how I can, I can always run away again," she smiled.

"But you won't," said Jack.

"Well I'd never find you again," said Andrea. "I'd be out on the streets all alone, no Jack Kelly to help me sell me papes," she smiled at him.

"You learned quick," he said flashing a smile at her. "I won't forget this."

"Neither will I," she said. "This close to freedom and then I had to go and do something nice for someone."

"Wull it means a lot," he said he leaned close to her and kissed her lightly on the lips, the kiss became more in a matter of seconds. Before he knew it he was holding her against him and she was clutching at his shirt and the kiss had deepened. Her skin felt so soft under his hands, he felt as if he almost shouldn't be touching her because of his rough newsboy hands, but she felt so good.

"Good bye Jack Kelly," said Andrea as her forehead rested against his. "I'll miss you."

"I'll make a name for m'self and then I'll find you again," said Jack with a smile brushing his fingers along her face. "I'll get lots a money and then make a proper go at it with you."

"But then you wouldn't be the Jack that I find myself falling for," said Andrea stroking his cheek. "Hurry, you must go, father will help you get your money somewhere safe where you'll have access to it."

"I'll find you again Andy," said Jack, "I mean Miss Andrea," he bowed to her and then rushed out of the room.

Jack got a ride back to the newsboys lodge and recruited everyone who wanted to come with him to come. Not as many as Jack had thought would come came but that was fine, more space for him. Andrea's father helped him put the money into a bank that was also located in Santa Fe so he would be able to have his money guarded. As he and the other newsies boarded the train the next day his eyes traveled in the direction of the building he had been to the night before and his thoughts strayed to her.


	3. The Great Escape

Andrea sat with her hands clasped in her lap, there were many women around her and they were all talking about her coming out party, she was miles away. Her mind was in Santa Fe, the latest letter she had received from Jack said that the barn and house had finally been finished and they were going to town in a week or so for an auction to purchase the livestock they needed to become a proper farm. His letter also said that he had a dream about her, a most inappropriate thing for a letter to say according to anyone sitting at the table but that was why she hadn't told them. In his dream Jack said that he had been able to bring her to his farm and they had lived together. It made her smile to think of Jack wanting to live with her, to think that Jack dreamt of her. She smiled to herself and imagined how he must look all covered in dust with his bandanna and cowboy hat, a proper cowboy.

"What is it Andrea?" asked Lilliana. "Why are you smiling so?"

"Oh, I was just thinking of something," said Andrea.

"Well do tell us," said Vivan. "Was it about the party?"

"No, it was about Jack Kelly," said Andrea.

"Who?" asked Ashley.

"That boy who rescued her," said Lilliana, "It was such a romantic story, I would have found myself taken with him as well."

"No matter how uncivilized he was," said Vivan with a giggle covering her mouth with a gloved hand. "Can you imagine, a newsboys lodge!"

"It must have been appalling," said Ashley.

"It was quaint," said Andrea annoyed. "The boys were all very nice to me."

"I'm sure they were," said Vivan. "They all wanted that reward money that your father put up for your safe return."

"Well I find the whole thing fantastic," said Lilliana, "terrifying, but a fantastic adventure."

"Let us forget the whole dreadful business and get back to your party Andrea, what on earth are you going to wear?" asked Vivan.

_Dearest Jack,_

_I fear my father is going to marry me off to someone. He is so tired of my refusing his suitors, I wish he could see how wonderful you are. I dream of you too but don't tell Vivan Crane, Lilliana VanDicamp, or Ashley Forester, they would think I was awful admitting to something like that. But I think we have these feelings to share them so I share mine with you. I dreamed I was riding a horse and you were watching me and I felt so free, I knew you would never keep me from doing something. Hurry and become "suitable" I cannot wait much longer, my coming out party is coming… I wish you were here to escort me._

_Yours,_

_Andrea Pembrook_

Miss Andrea,

Thats wat yer dad wanted me ta call ya rite? Sorry my riteing aint as neat as yers or as correct I gess is tha rite word for it. I tell ya we cud shur use a gurl here I cant wate until u can come here. I miss ya. Yer rite I wuld never not let ya do somethin I know ya can take care of yerself. We finished the barn and the house and got the horses soon Ill be a proper gentleman and be abel to come and get you just dont get marryed ok?

Yours,

Jack Kelly

My Dearest Andrea

I write this letter in deep melancholy, I have asked your father for permission to court you but he has refused. He tells me that you do not accept courtship from anyone. I wish you would reconsider and at least give me one chance. I await your answer patiently.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Browns

Andrea sat quietly in her room. She held the letter from Jack in her lap and the letter from Jonathan. She knew her father had told Jonathan to write that letter, she knew that he was trying to arrange their marriage, she was almost positive that one of her "friends" had mentioned something about her daydream of Jack Kelly to someone and had gotten it back to her father. Her father wanted little to do with Jack now that he had paid him and helped him get to Santa Fe. She wondered what he was doing at that moment, probably something exciting to do with ranching. Here she was, stuck sitting in front of a window contemplating what she was going to tell a potential suitor. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do. Obviously she couldn't tell Jonathan that her heart belonged to another, then her father would find out and do everything in his power to keep her away from Jack. She sighed and folded Jack's letter up before she started her letter to Jonathan. She would ask him to escort her on her debut.

Jonathan Browns leaned against the railing of the large house that belonged to the Pembrooks. This house was gaudy, when it was his he would change it. He took another sip from the flask in the breast pocket of his jacket. He was going to have to tone down his drinking. Andrea Pembrook was quite a catch compared to the other girls in high society.

"Where is she?" asked a maid coming up to Jonathan.

"I thought she was still getting ready," said Jonathan with a shrug.

"We sent her to meet with you over a half hour ago," said the maid looking worried.

"You don't suppose she wondered off from the carriage again," said Jonathan worried, if he didn't marry Andrea he would be forced to settle for one of the other girls and they weren't nearly as attractive.

"Oh my word," said the maid putting her hand over her heart as she raced to inform Mr. Pembrook.

Andrea stood on the train quietly, her hair was pulled up in a beautiful style, that looked as if it was falling even though it was up. She wore a beautiful deep blue gown that was synched in the back and trailed down a long way. It was not ideal travel wear but it was what she had to work with. She had it hiked up in her hands holding it so it wouldn't drag on the ground.

Jack Kelly looked out at his ranch, it was a good place he was proud of it and soon it would be making him money and then he would go back and get the girl of his dreams. It had been nearly a year and everything was running smoothly. The newsies were hard workers and he was glad to have friends around, they were glad to have a roof and a job that wasn't going to disappear at any moment.

"Jack!" shouted Crutchy, he had taken the wagon into town for some more seeds for the crops, as the wagon came hurtling toward the ranch, the horses were foaming they were running so hard. "Jack!" he pulled the reins in. "Jack we gotta change out the horses and get back to town."

"What's goin' on?" asked Jack, he motioned for Skittery to come over and help him with the horses as he began unhooking them from the wagon.

"They found a girl, out in the middle of the desert, she was dressed in silk real nice but she was beat up somethin' bad. It looks like someone may have robbed her," he helped Jack into the wagon as two other boys finished hitching the horses on.

"Why do ya need me?" asked Jack confused.

"When they described her to me," said Crutchy suddenly getting nervous, "she sounded like Andrea."


	4. Welcome to Newsie Ranch

Jack rushed into the doctors building in the town of Santa Fe. Crutchy had told him that was where the girl was. He was praying that it wasn't Andrea, yet part of him also hoped that it was since he longed to see her. He had heard a little talk around town that the Pembrook heir had gone missing, that had been nearly a year before, he had decided it was just a rumor since Andrea would have told him she was planning to run away in the last letter he had received. The nurse came into the lobby of the office and looked at him expectantly.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I was wonderin' if I could see the girl that was brought here?" asked Jack taking off his hat and holding it nervously. "I heard she looked like someone I knew."

"Please come take a look at her," said the nurse motioning for him to follow her. "She hasn't woken up yet and we have no idea who she could be." She led Jack down a hall to a room. He could see a hand hanging over the side of a bed from where he was standing; slowly he walked into the room and got a full look at her face.

The girl he was staring at had bruises all over her face, a fat lip, and black eye. There was a cut underneath her eye and on her lip. Her hair had dirt caked in it and there was a little dirt left on her hands, it looked like someone had tried to clean her up. Even through all the dirt and grime he still knew who she was. He dropped his hat on the floor and rushed to the bed.

"Oh Andy," he said kneeling beside her. "Why didn't ya tell me you was runnin'?"

"So you know her?" asked the nurse.

"Yeah, her name is Andrea Pe…" Jack realized that if he told them her real name then they would take her back to her father. "Andrea Peterson."

"Well now we can keep an ear open for her family," said the nurse. "You wouldn't happen to know them would you?"

"No," said Jack. "No, her family was mostly dead when I met her," he lied as he took a hold of her hand.

"I'll leave you two alone while I go tell the doctor," said the nurse leaving the room.

"Oh God," said Jack laying his head down on the bed. "Are ya ever gonna wake up?" he asked worriedly.

"Of course," said Andrea in a weak voice, he looked up at her.

"How long have ya been awake?" asked Jack startled.

"A few days," she said blinking at him. "I didn't want to have to tell them who I was."

"Why didn't ya tell me you was gonna run?" asked Jack putting a hand to her cheek.

"I was afraid you would try to stop me," she said with a shrug and then winced.

"What happened to ya?" asked Jack.

"Wull," said Andrea doing an impression of Jack that made him grin. "I was jus' mindin' my own business on this train right," Jack grin turned into a chuckle as she continued trying to cover the fact that she sounded high society. "These two goons come up and they start pickin' a fight wif me. Wull I tried to fight back but they was stronger than me, a lot stronger. They took me somewhere, don't know where exactly, but it was real dark an' I couldn't move. They tried to get me ta tell 'em where I was from and who I was to be dressed so nicely bu' I wouldn't, so they tossed me out into the middle of the desert."

"Have you been practicin'?" asked Jack trying to contain his laughter.

"Yeah," said Andrea with a grin, Jack could see something dark behind her eyes but he didn't want to ask her about it right then since the nurse came back.

"She's awake!" cried the nurse and a man came rushing into the room.

"You must be a miracle worker son," said the man pulling out a stethoscope and helping Andrea sit up so he could listen to her lungs.

"Can I go home with Jack?" asked Andrea looking at the doctor through her good eye.

"I want to keep you for another night just to make sure but you can go with him tomorrow," said the doctor. "If you come back tomorrow around noon I'll let her go with you Jack," said the doctor looking at him.

"I gotta get goin' anyway," said Jack standing and getting his hat from where he had dropped it. "I'll come back tamorrow though Andrea," he smiled at her and left the room.

Andrea couldn't sleep that night. She was so happy to have seen Jack again, he looked different yet exactly the same. His hair was a bit longer but it still fell about his face just as it had when he had left that night. He still wore his red bandanna, which he had left with her, he had rushed back into the room after he left saying he had something important and private to tell her and after the doctor and nurse had left the room he had bent down and as he pushed his bandanna into her hand kissed her on the lips fiercely.

"I've missed you so much," he whispered huskily to her after he broke the kiss and then he rushed out of the room quickly.

"Parting in such sweet sorrow that I shall have to wait til it be morrow," she sighed now as she held his bandanna to her face, it smelled like him, musky and sweaty, she kissed it and tried to remember exactly how his lips had felt.

She lay with her eyes open until morning when she heard the doctor coming to her room, she closed her eyes to pretend like she had been asleep. As he came in she heard him murmuring something about her looking like someone. She could hear a paper being crumpled in his hands and tried not to think that he had discovered who and wished that noon would come. The doctor sat down on the side of the bed and Andrea slowly opened her eyes and tried to pretend to be sleepy.

"Could you sit up?" asked the doctor. "I'd like to listen to your breathing to make sure your lungs sound clear and then I'd like to take a good look at your eye to make sure there's no permanent damage."

"Okay," said Andrea sitting up and leaning forward as he placed the cold stethoscope against her back and made her take a few deep breaths. After that he turned on the lamp in the room and examined her eye again.

"How's the sight out of it?" he asked turn her head this way and that.

"Fine, a little blurring now and then but fine," said Andrea.

"Well it should clear up in a few days," said the doctor, "there's not really anything I can do about it if it gets worse but you can come back for me to check on it if you want."

"Alright," said Andrea. "What time is it?"

"About nine," said the doctor, "I didn't want to wake you too soon."

"Thank you," said Andrea.

"The nurse should be in with some clothes for you to change into in a few minutes, then you can look around town while you wait if you want," said the doctor and then he left.

Andrea sat on the bed in her torn dress when the nurse came in. The nurse handed her a blue blouse and skirt and undergarments. She pulled on the clothes as quickly as she could and tied her hair up away from her face. She left the doctor's office and looked around the town. It was so different from New York, the only other places she had been other than New York were other big cities, she had never been to a small town before, much less a western town. Everything seemed to be perpetually dusty she noticed as she walked around to look at the different shops. She peered into the window of a clothing shop, the dresses were nice and the tailor who made them must have had a lot of talent. She especially liked the bonnets that were on display, she had never owned a bonnet before, she had always worn her hair up in barrettes and clips, or covered by a scarf, never a bonnet.

"See somethin' ya like ma'm?" asked a familiar voice behind her and she turned into the arms of Jack Kelly.

"Oh Jack," she said with a laugh as he wrapped his arms around her so tightly that it pressed against her bruises uncomfortably and she sucked in her breathe sharply.

"Oh," Jack let go of her quickly. "I forgot about ya bruises. Do you want some clothes?" asked Jack pointing in the window of the store.

"Well I don't really have anything to wear," she said.

"C'mon then I'll buy you some dresses," he said pulling her into the store.

After much trying on and measuring Andrea had three dresses and three more being made for her from cloth that she picked out. Jack noticed her eyeing the bonnets though he couldn't figure out why, he had bought her a few hair things that were at the house in her room. He had bought them as presents to send to her but had never gotten a chance.

"C'mon," he said as he carried her packages for her. "I brought the wagon and a couple newsies that couldn't wait to see what Andy looked like as a girl," he grinned at her and she blushed. "No doin' that," he said putting an arm around her waist, "you're mah girl, ain'tcha?" he asked.

"Yes," she said with a smile, "I'm your girl, always have been."

"Then no blushin', the newsies'll like ya just as much as I do," he grinned bigger and she tried her hardest not to turn away as her cheeks became more flushed. They came up to a wagon pulled by two lovely horses and full of boys all clamoring to get a look at the girl who used to be Andy.

"Woowee Jack!" shouted one of the boys. "She's a looker, even with the shiner and the fat lip."

"Ya didn't tell us she was go-jus!" shouted another boy who Andrea was pretty sure was Crutchy.

"Ya got a good hold on her?" asked a fairly short boy that Andrea remembered but couldn't remember the name of.

"I got a very good hold," said Jack holding her a little tighter against him. "No a ya get any ideas got it?"

"Wu'll see," joked one of the boys with a broad grin. All the boys clamored to help Andrea into the wagon as Jack lifted her up to the seat and then sat next to her.

"I'll get ya a proper carriage as soon as I can," he whispered to her and then he picked up the reigns and called out to the horses.

The trip to Jack's farm wasn't very far, it was about three hours outside of town and Andrea got to hear the stories about how they bought the lands and built the barn and the few houses that were constructed and a few that weren't quite finished yet. There were horses and cows in fields and a field with a few newsies harvesting hay. It seemed like a dream as she looked out at all the freedom.

"It's wonderful," she said clutching at Jack's arm. "Oh, it so wonderful."

Jack smiled at her as they pulled up the barn and all the newsies piled out and tried to help Andrea out of the wagon. She accepted help from the one she thought was Crutchy because it seemed to make him so happy to be able to help her.

"C'mon," said Jack. "I'll show ya to ya room." He held out his arm for her to take and then led her towards the main house, it was the biggest. "This one is my house, the other newsies wanted their own houses so a few of 'em are building some, I had a room built special for you," he smiled at her as they walked up the broad front porch and through the door. Inside the house was huge, it had a massive staircase that went up to the next floor and then she could see another that went to a third floor. There was a huge dining room and a huge kitchen that looked like its purpose was to feed all the boys on the farm. She smiled as Jack led her up the stairs and down a hallway to a door that had flowers and birds carved all over it in intricate designs and was painted purple. He opened the door and she saw a beautiful four poster bed with a canopy and curtains. She walked in and saw there was a beautiful bureau in corner and a large closet.

"Oh Jack!" she threw her arms around him. "It's beautiful."

"I was hopin' you'd say that," he said putting his arms around her and giving her a gentler hug but still enjoying the feel of her. She pushed her face into his neck and took a deep breath. "What are ya doin'?"

"You smell really good," said Andrea, then she felt Jack's nose in her hair and felt his breath hot and cold against her head.

"You smell pretty good too," he said with a smile. "Say, wouldja like ta take a bath?" he asked.

"That would be wonderful," said Andrea, "but I don't want you to go to any trouble for me, I can heat up my own water."

"I gots all these hands fer workin', might as wull put 'em ta work," he smiled at her. "I'll send one of 'em up when it's ready, you get some rest," he smiled again as he left the room and closed the door behind him. She hadn't realized how tired she was until that moment, she could barely wonder to the bed before she fell asleep.


	5. First Day

"Andrea?" she felt someone's hand on her shoulder giving her a slight shake. "Miss Andrea," said the voice again. She blinked open her eyes and stared at a boy she didn't know.

"Who are you?" she asked embarrassed by the sleepyness in her voice.

"Skittery ma'm," he said. "Cowboy sent me ta get ya. We've been tryin' ta wake you up fer hours."

"Oh I'm so sorry, you went to all the trouble of heating water for a bath and I didn't even get to use it," she sat up looking distressed.

"It's alright ma'm," said Skittery, "Jack's been havin' us refill the bath every time it got cold, we've been waitin' fer ya."

"Oh you didn't have to do that," said Andrea embarrassed standing up quickly and rushing down the stairs to try and find Jack. "Where did Jack go?" she asked.

"He's out helpin' Blink wif the horses, he gave us strict instructions that ya was ta take a bath before he comes back," Skittery motioned to an area of the kitchen that had been surrounded by a screen so that no one could peak in at her. "Ya go in through there and then when yer done we have a towel hanging here and a robe here for ya," he said pointing, "an' two people wull be outside guarding ta make sure no one tries to sneak a peek."

Andrea was slightly stunned but she did as Skittery had instructed and went into the screen and pulled it shut. Then she peeled off her clothes grateful that she didn't have a mirror to see all the bruises and scratches. She eased her sore body into the hot bath water and sucked in her breath, it was so hot it stung a little but it felt good too. She lay in the water soaking for a while before she remembered that she should be washing her hair and the rest of her body. She looked around and saw a bottle of expensive looking soap or something sitting next to the tub. She picked it up and squirted some into her hand and then began working it into her hair, she could feel some of the caked in mud and all the tangles. She worked at her hair for a while and then rinsed it in the water. She repeated this process until she was sure if she did it one more time her hair would fall out. Then she scrubbed the rest of her body and hurried out of the quickly cooling bath water and into the robe and towel. She slid the panel back and stepped onto the floor with her bare feet. The floor was cold and she rushed to the carpeted area near the stairs as quickly as she could slamming right into someone and sending her sprawling on the cold floor. Luckily she was so engrained with her socialite training that when she landed she was able to keep everything important covered. She looked up at a newsie with a patch over one eye. He looked stunned as well and then offered her his hand.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said as he pulled her to her feet. "Ya must be Andrea, I'm Kid Blink, most people just call me Blink," he said smiling at her.

"Well," she said. "Thank you for the help," she smoothed the robe down and checked the towel in her hair. "I should be getting upstairs to bed."

"I hope ta see ya around?" he followed her with his gaze as she raced up the stairs.

Andrea hurried up the stairs, Kid Blink made her nervous and she didn't know why. She closed the door to her room and slowly slipped into one of the night gowns she found in the drawer and then she dried her hair and pulled it up so it was off of her back. She sat at the lovely bureau that Jack had gotten her and stared at her face in the mirror without any makeup on. She touched the swollen part of her face gingerly. It was still noticeably purple and her eye was still slightly shut from the swelling. There was a knock at the door and she stood up quickly to answer it hoping it was Jack. As she pulled the door open she was rewarded to see the one she had wanted. She wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and pushed her face into his chest taking a deep breath and enjoying it.

"Miss me?" he asked with a smile.

"So much," she said, she had never felt so comfortable showing her affections for a man before, of course she had never felt like this for any other man before.

"How was ya bath?" he asked. "Was it warm?"

"Yes, it was plenty warm," she smiled at him. "You didn't have to make them do that."

"Ya said yous wanted a bath," he smiled down at her causing her to blush. "What did I say 'bout that?" he asked turning her face up at him.

"Sorry," she said. "I was trained to be a lady, a lady is modest, I'm not used to being treated like… this."

"Bu' yer dad bought ya everything that ya wanted," said Jack confused.

"I mean treated like I'm cared about," she said with a slight laugh. "Not just like I'm an heir to be kept happy so that I'll marry who's been picked for me," suddenly she remembered the doctor and the paper. "I think the doctor knows who I am," she said worriedly. "He had a piece of paper when he came in to see me this morning and he crumpled it up when I work up. My father is probably searching like crazy for me," she said. "He needs me," she chewed her lip for a moment. "I just… he's been looking for me I know he has," she said. "I left in such a hurry I had no chance to masquerade as a boy again."

"Shh," Jack put a finger to her lips. "It's all right," he smiled. "He can't get ya while I'm here, I promise," he put a gentle kiss on her nose and smiled when she blushed red. "I should get to my room," he said lingered for moment not wanting to leave. "I'll get you up in the morning to help with breakfast," he smiled.

"I'll be waiting," she smiled at him as he walked down the hall to his bedroom, she closed to door and locked it and then collapsed into bed.

Andrea opened her eyes to the fringes of sunlight starting to wink through her window. She smiled a little and stretched her arms above her head and then there was a knock at her door and she remembered where she was and who it probably was at her door. She rushed across the room in her night gown and flung the door open and Jack Kelly stared at her looking dashing in his real cowboy outfit and freshly shaved face. He smiled broadly at her and she melted into him.

"I wanted to tell you we was gonna start breakfast soon," he said. "So get dressed and ready and then come on down, I promise the newsies are on their best behavior."

"You can't call them newsies anymore," she laughed a little and kissed his cheek before closing the door to get dressed.

Quickly she pulled on her least expensive dress and pulled her hair up and into a proper bun. She splashed some water on her face and brushed her teeth the best she could before rushing down the stairs. She loved the way the plush carpet felt under her feet, her father didn't let her run around barefooted. Jack was standing by the large griddle she had seen the night before and the whole kitchen was full of tables and chairs and boys. All of whom stopped what they were doing to stare at Andrea as she entered the kitchen. She smiled and made her way to Jack.

"Why are they all staring at me?" she asked through her teeth when she came up next to him at the griddle, he was making pancakes, poorly.

"Because a lot of 'em ain't seen a girl in a while," he said with a shrug struggling to flip an under cooked pancake.

"You didn't cook it long enough," she said matter-o-factly.

"I know that I just can't figure out how to tell if it's cooked long enough," he said. She took the spatula from him.

"See the outside edge?" she asked pointing to a pancake that was almost ready to be flipped. "See all the little bubble spots? When it has about that many it's ready to flip," she flipped it expertly.

"How do you know that?" asked Jack getting another spatula.

"My father said that every good woman knows how to cook so… I know how to cook," she shrugged her shoulders dramatically as Jack flipped a pancake happily.

With two of them making the pancakes Andrea quickly set other boys to other tasks such as handing out plates or cooking eggs and sausage, the eggs were from Jack's chickens. Jack was impressed by the way she handled the ex-newsboys, they listened to her like they listened to Jack and breakfast was actually easy and so was the clean up and removal of the tables. Then everyone headed out to the fields to work, along with Andrea which surprised Jack and all the boys. She helped them moved the cows from the barn to the field after they had been milked and then moving the goats to the pasture to be sheered and then on to the fields to harvest hay to be baled and moved to the hay barn and then to she went back to house much to Jack's urging, he told her to relax and take a nap but instead she cleaned the house and then moved on to the other houses on the land. When the boys came back to the house they were amazed but she made sure all shoes stayed outside so that not so much dust would get in the house and then made everyone go wash up before dinner as she started on it.

Jack was the first to finish washing and immediately began helping with dinner. It was nice to be alone with him for just about the first time that day. They teased each other and kissed a few times before more boys started showing up. Andrea put everyone who came down to work, those boys peeling potatoes, these boys baking the biscuits, and still more moving the tables into place and then setting up the dishes and making sure the little ones were first in line. Then after dinner she made sure that everyone helped clean up and then she looked over all the boys judging who needed to bath that night and who didn't then everyone went to their own houses or rooms and Andrea trudged up the stairs dreaming of her bed, almost as soon as she closed the door there was a knock on it. She opened it and smiled at Jack.

"I came to say good night and… Wow," he said with a laugh.

"Come on in, I'm tired of standing in doorways with you," she laughed too as he came in and she closed to door.

"I can't believe the way you managed all the boys," he said as Andrea walked behind a screen and changed out of her clothes into a night gown.

"I took care of the younger children of the house staff in my father's house," she told Jack. "It helped the maids get their jobs done better and helped me finish anything my father set for me to do." She walked out from behind the screen and sat down at a table to brush out her hair.

"Wull you sure showed 'em you mean business," he laughed sitting down on the bed nervously. Andrea finished brushing her hair and sat down next to him.

"I don't know about you but I'm exhausted," she said leaning against him.

"Yeah, ya get used to it," he smiled lifting her chin and giving her a kiss.

"This is very improper," she said with a smile.

"I like being improper," he smiled back at her and kissed her again. "If you want me to leave I will though."

"Part of me wants you to leave, the part of me that has proper lady engrained into her thinks that this is so wrong," she said blushing.

"And the other part?" His fingers brushed some hair off your face.

"The other part needs you to be here, the other part can't stand to not be around you," she sucked her breath in as he kissed her hard on the mouth.

Andrea and Jack fell backwards onto her bed as their kiss deepened and she felt his hands at her waist moving up and down her sides. Could it be that the infamous Jack Kelly didn't know what he was doing either.


End file.
